AUTOMOBILE PRODUCTION IN EAST GERMANY

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80T00246A054300230001-3
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 14
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 25, 2010
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: May 31, 1960
• Content Type: REPORT

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INFORMATION REPORT INFORMATION REPORT
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
This material contains information affecting the National Defense of the United States within the meaning of the Espionage Laws, Title
18, U.S.O. Seca. 793 and 794, the transmission or revelation of which in any manner to an unauthorized person is prohibited by law.
COUNTRY East Germany
Automobile Production in East Germany
DATE DISTR.
DATE OF
INFO.
PLACE &
SOURCE EVALUATIONS ARE DEFINITIVE. APPRAISAL OF CONTENT IS TENTATIVE.
he East
types of vehicles produced and planned by German automobile
industry. The survey contains figures on 1945 to 1959 Production and
on export quotas for 1945 - 1958.. A tabulation of autombile prices - cost,
factory to wholesaler, an retail price for P 70, P 240, the Wartburg
limousine and cabriolet /is undated.
STATE ARMY NAVY X AIR
X NSA X F131
(Note: Washington distribution indicated by "X"; Field distribution by "#".)
repor
LA
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The Enterprises of VVB Automobilbau (Main Administration of Automobile Construction)
VEB Sachsenring Automobilwerke (Sachsenring Automobile Works), Zwickau.
About 8,100 employees. Production: During the past few weeksthere have
been delivery difficulties with the TRABANT passenger car because the plant
which furnishes the valve-lifter rods was behind in deliveries. Passenger
car P 70. Diesel trucks S 4000-1, 4 tons. Special vehicles S 14.000-1(three-
way dump trucks, dump trucks, panel and pickup trucks, water tank trucks,
vehicles for construction troops, fire trucks, tractors). Diesel engines
of type EM 4; spare parts for motor vehicles.
VEB Robur-Werke (Robur Works), Zittau. More than 4,330 employees.
Production: Garant trucks, with diesel or Otto engines. Two-ton flat-bed
trucks; 1.65-ton pickups, 1.6-ton panel trucks; combination truck and passen-
ger cars, ambulances for 2-4 persons, busses with 14-18 seats
aircooled engines of 6.5 to 60
horsepower for vehicles and stationary use; single-cylinder, four-cycle
diesel engines, type GD 1, developing 6.5 horsepower at 1,500 , and 8.5
horsepower at 2,000 rpm. Two-cylinder four-cycle engines, type GD 2, 13
rpm
horsepower at 1,500 17 horsepower at 2,000 rpm. Three-cylinder four-cycle
engines, type GD 3, 19.5 horsepower at 1,500 rpm, 25.5 horsepower at 2,000
rpm. Four-cylinder, four-cycle diesel engines, type Garant 32. Four-
cylinder four-cycle Otto engines, type Garant 30 K.
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FRET
VEB Fahrzeug- and Gera 'tewerk Simson ("Simeon" Vehicle and Equipment Plant), Buhl.
5,000 employees
Production: Motorcycles, type Simeon 425, and Simson cross-country motorcycles.
Motor bicycles [small motorcycles], type SR 2; small scooters, KR 50. Sprocket
gears for sports and racing bicycles, and pedals for same. Bowden brakes;
nozzles and parts for fuel pumps; motor-vehicle spare parts; hunting guns.
VEB Barkas-Werke (Barkas Works), Karl-Marx-Stadt. 4,100 employees.
Production: Three-quarter-ton transport vehicles, type Barkas V 901/2, with
two-cycle, three-cylinder engines of 900 cm3 piston displacement, made as
flat-bed trucks, panel trucks, combination cars, garbage trucks, busses
with 8 seats [sic], hearses, special vehicles. Two-cycle internal-combustion
engines for passenger cars of types Trabant and P 70, and for stationary use;
4-28 horsepower fuel pumps for diesel motors. Spare parts for motor vehicles,
tractors, and fuel pumps.
VEB Kraftfahrzeugwerk (Automotive Works) "Ernst Grube", Werdau.
About 4,000 employees.
Production: Diesel trucks, type H 6. Special vehicles, type G 5; busses,
type H 6 B/L; drop-forged and hammer-forged products. Spare parts for
types G 5, G 6, and H 6 B.
VEB Motorradwerk (Motorcycle Plant) ZSCHOPAU. 3,000 employees.
Production: Motorcycles, type NZ 125/2 and MZ 125/3, type NZ ES 175, type
NZ ES 250 with and without sidecar. Cross-country sports models, 175 cm3
and 250 cm3 motor scooters.
VEB Fahrzeugwerk (Vehicle Plant) WALTERSHAUSEN. 1,350 employees.
Production: DK 4 diesel flat-bed fork trucks, DK 4 dump trucks, DK 5 dump-truck
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trailers for tractors, DK 4H trucks with dump bodies. Various DK [?]
diesel fork truck trailers with special bodies: TK-3, TK-5, and HK-5(L)
dump-truck trailers for tractors; trailers for trucks: HK-3 with a 3-way,
and HK-5 with a 2-way, dump body; E-5 ordinary truck trailers with or without
u,
Hamburg tires. Couplings for truck or tractor trallers with or withott Ham//~\b g
tires. Couplings for truck or tractor trailers, -Ara truck couplings
and brake couplings.
VEB Fahrradwerk (Bicycle Plant) Elite-Diamant, Karl-Marx-Stadt. More than
1,800 employees.
Production: Men's and ladies' sports and racing bicycles, and spare parts
for same. Hand and motor-operated knitting machines.
VEB Mifa-Werk ("Mifa" Automotive Works)Sangershausen. About 930 employees.
Production: men's and ladies' sports bicycles; 20" and 24" children's bicycles,
and tricycles. Parts: frames, forks, metal guards, rims, handle bars, light
metal pumps for racing and sports bicycles.
VEB Moeve-Werk ([Automobile and Tractor] Plant),Muelhausen. 1,650 employees.
Production: Bicycles for men, ladies, children, messengers, and performers.
Frames, forks, handlebars, rim [-s;?]saddles for bicycles, motor bicycles,
motorcycles, and model KR 50 scooters. Foot rests for motiycles, jacks,
steering arms for trucks and tractors, brake pressure hoses (armored hoses)
for trucks.
VEB Dieselmotorenwerk (Diesel Engine Works),Schoenebeck/Elbe. More than 1,200
employees.
Production: Diesel motors for every purpose
diesel engines for motor vehicles: 6-cylinder, 120 and 150
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horsepower, water-cooled; and 3.4 [sic; 3-, 4-] and 6-cylinder, 45-150
horsepower, air-cooled. Stationary diesel motors: 2-6 cylinder developing
20-120 horsepower, both water and air-cooled. Water-swirling brakes for
measuring the wattage of motors.
VEB Kraftfahrzeugwerke (Automotive Works) "Joliot-Curie," Leipzig. 2,060 employees.
Production: Gears for trucks and tractors, and parts for same.
VEB Lenkgetriebe-Werk (Steering Gear Plant) Triptis, Thueringen. 476 employees.
Production: Steering gear, worm-gear drive systems for passenger cars, tucks,
tractors, and busses and 0-busses [sic]. Parts for steering gear, includng
parts for steering gear of old models of trucks.
VEB Gelenkwellenwerk (Drive-Shaft Plant) Stadtilm, Thueringen. 850 employees.
Production: Drive hafts for passenger cars, trucks, and railroad cars and
agricultural machines. Flexible driveshafts for testing beaches and for
power transmission in conveyers; transport and hoisting equipment, and, torsion
bars for trucks.
VEB Fahrzeuggetriebewerke (Automobile Gear World "Wilhelm Friedel," Karl-Marx-Stadt.
1,000 employees.
Production: Complete transmissions for motor vehicles; parts.
VEB Karosseriewerke (Body Works)#Halle. 1,500 employees.
Production: Bodies for combination cars Wartburg 311/9; EMW 340/7;
limousines EMW 340/2; ambulances EII 340/4; Robur Garant-type panel trucks;
Robur Garant-type mail trucks; Robur Garant-type trucks; and Sachsenring
refrigerated and pickup trucks. KOM-trailers W 701; spare parts for motor
vehicles.
VEB-Karosseriewerke (Body Works),Dresden. 1,480 employees.
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Production: Bodies for passenger cars of the Wartburg and P-70 types;
spare bodies for utility vehicles, spare parts for bodies.
VEB Karosseriewerke (Body Works), Meerane/Sa. 1,265 employees.
Production: Bodies for passenger cars and trucks of various types, flat-
bed trucks H 3 A and S 4000. Operators' cabs H 3 A, 54000, G 5,and H 6.
Tractor seats in various styles.
VEB Fahrzeuwerk (Vehicle Plant), Wilsdruff/Sa. Almost 300 employees.
Production: Trailers for 3-ton trucks and 4-ton tractors. Dump trucks
with rolling panel sides, about 4.7 tons. Liquid-fertilizer trailers,
about 2,800-liter capacity. Cabin trailers, 6 meters in length, fox
moving vans. Sixteen-passenger automobile work sheds on wheels. 50X1-HUM
Bodies for fertilizer cars S 4000-1, refuse trucks S 4000-1, cattle trucks
S 4000-1, trailer houses.
VEB Blechverformungswerk (Plate-Working Plant), Leipzig. 1,270 employees
Production: Trailers for H 4 tractors, single-axle 1.5-1.8 ton trailers,
trailers for 3-ton trucks; mufflers for trucks and passenger cars, motor-
cycles, motor bicycles, and tractors. Gasoline tr:nks for trucks, passenger
cars, and tractors. Air filters for trucks and tractors. Air filters for
motorcycles. Oil filters for trucks and tractors. Radiators for trucks,
passenger cars, and tractors, and cooling systems for stationary units.
Screw-on caps for gasoline and oil containers, and prefabricated metal
parts for the truck and VEB Kraftfahrzeug-Blechverformungsrierk (Automotive Plate-Working Plant),
Bernsbach/Erzgebirge. 1,100 employees.
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Production: Sheet-metal parts: fenders, dclors, body sides, hoods, and
similar unfidshed body parts.
VEB Faiirzeugzuuehoerwerke (Automobile Accessories Plant),Gera. 1,550 employees.
Production: Accessories for rail cars. Window-winding mechanisms, window
arms. Accessories and spare parts for motor vehicles. Roller bearings
for one-and two-section sliding doors. Various styles of door locks, with
accessories, for trucks, with and without automatic operation. Door
hinges, with or without bores [sic]. Sliding roofs for F-9 Wartburg and
busses. Sliding roof fittings for P 70. Window frames in various styles.
Door window frames. Frames for swivel ventilators. Various styles of
[car] ventilators. Piston rings for motor vehicles and machinery. Tires,
motorcycle [tire] rims, disc wheels for passenger cars, trucks, and
trailers; disc and spoke wheels for tracotrs and agricultural machines.
Side and bottom rings for disc wheels, tire levers. Ball and socket joint
rim [?] 3 tons.
VEB Einspritzwerkpumpenwerk (Fuel Injection Pump Works), Wolfsputz/Vogtland.
660 employees.
Production: Nozzles and parts for fuel pumps for motor vehicles and air-
plane engines.
VEB Stossdaempferwerk (Shock Absorber Plant), Hartha/Sa. 440 employees.
Production: Lever arms and telescopic shock absorbers for passenger cars
and trucks.
VEB Metaliwerke (Metal works), Harzgerode. 500 employees.
Production: P.~stons for internal combustion engines produced by sand and
chill casting in aluminum molds. Wooden and metal patterns, chill molds.
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VEB Kraftfahrzeugzubehoerwerke (Automobile Accessories Plant), Dresden.
1,200 employees.
Production: P.1ston rings for motor vehicles, machinery, railroads, etc.
Gaskets and rims, and half-casings and gaskets for railroads and machinery.
Iron castings with high perlite content. Fuel nozzle holders, 45/60 and
use
60/60, for regular( and for tropical export. Pressure valves 201-30, 50/1
64/1, and 72/1. Pressure valves 201/30 U 112/3 EP 451 E. Suction 50X1-HUM
valves EP 451 E. Cam wheels, swivels.
VEB Zentrifugal (Centrifuge Plant j Rade.)eul 2. More than 200 employees.
Production: Governors for stationary diesel motors up to 1,500 horsepower.
Otto engines, steam engines, and turLines. Centrifugal contact breakers
for conveyers and water turbines.
VEB Reichenoacher Na:en--und Kuppluangswerke (Hub and Clutch Plant in
Reichenbach) "Renck", Reichenbach/Vogtld. 2,665 employees.
Production: Bicycle hues, types 100 and 342. "Renak" free wheeling hubs:
front wheel hubs for sports bicycles, rear wheel hubs for sports bicycles
with one- and 3-way free wheeling. Rear wheel hubs for sports roadsters
with or without gear wheel rims, with wing nuts, with or without springs.
Front and rear wheel hubs for scooters and small KR 50 scooters. Three-
and 4-speed transmissions, 4-way free-wheeling gear rims, pedals for
children's bicycles, clutches for motor vehicles, driving plates, snuboers,
compression rings, throwout bearings.
VEB Kettenfabrik (Chain Plant), Barchfeld/Werra. About 900 employees.
Production: Driving chains for motor vehicles, machines, spokes for bicycles
and motorcycles, nipples for motorcycles and motor vehicles.
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VEB Erfurter Gesenkschmiede (Drop-Forge Plant) "Rosa Luxemburg," Erfurt.
160 employees.
Production: Drop-forged parts of up to 5 kilograms.
VEB Rossweiner Achsen-, Federn-, and Schmiedewerke(Axle, Spring, and Forging
Works) "Hermann Matern", Rosswein/Sa. 1,750 employees.
Production: Roller-bearing axles for trucks and tractor trailers. Axles
with spring suspension for single-axle trailers, leaf springs for road
vehicles, drop-forged parts of up to 50 kilograms, hand-forged parts of
up to 50 kilograms, wheels for wheelbarrows.
VEB Berliner Vergaser-Fabrik (Carburetor Works), Berlin 0 112. 865 employees.
Production: Carburetors for passenger cars, trucks, motorcycles, scooters,
and motor bicycles. Auxiliary motors for bicycles and outboard motors for
boats. Quick-action carburetors for stationary engines or fire-quenching
apparatus for manual and pilot operation, and for other special purposes.
Special carburetors for motors for boats . Car-
buretors for diesel tractors. Fuel feed pumps for tamping, hoisting,
and low-pressure operations. Fuel filters for diesel motors, carburetors,
and fuel pumps. Overflow valves for diesel fuel filters, radial packings
DIN 6503, membrane sleeve packings for engines, agricultural machines,
motor vehicles, and for use in shipbuilding.
VEB Wissenschaftlich-Technisches Buero fuer Kraftmotorenbau (Scientific-
Technical Office for Electrical Machinery), Berlin-Adlershof. 470 employees.
Development and manufacture: Testing plant for single and multiple-cylinder
motors (diesel and Otto), and for static and dynamic examination of vehicles
and parts. Electronic and other measuring devices for the examination }..
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of internal-combustion engines.
Special testing installations for research on internal-combustion engines.
Optical and mechanical wheel and axle control adjustment apparatus.
Light adjustment systems.
Also: Testing of motors, static and dynamic examination of technical
construction elements. Research on current special problems. Planning
and equipping complete testing plants, for the USSR also.
VEB Zentrale Entwicklung and Konstrukt/ion fuer den (Office
for Development and Designing of Vehicle Construction, Karl-Marx-Stadt)
3~= employees, about 75 percent of whom are engineers.
Research and development.
VEB Projektierung Fahrzeug- and Landmaschinenbau (Planning Office for Vehicles
and Agricultural Machinery), Berlin C 2. 81 employees.
Planning.
1. Commercial Enterprises:
VEH Imperhandel, Berlin Oberschoeneweide. 14+9 employees.
Importation of spare parts from the West.
VEH Automot, Heidenau/Sa. 250 employees
Export and import of vehicles to and from the people's democracies and
the USSR.
2. Outlook
The current reorganization of Volkseigene Betriebe Automobilbau
involves specialization in certain types.
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r
MotTycles: In the future, VEB Fahrzeug- and Geraetewerk Simson
BURL will produce only motoycles 425 S, motor bicycles SR 2, and small
scooters KR 50. These types are to be improved. VEB Motorradwerk
ZSCHOPAU, in future, is to specialize in the new model RT 125-3 with 4
-ears, and FS types 175 and 250.
Production of motorcycles with over 250-cm3 displacement is to be
discontinued.. For the last 2 years, the two motorcycle factories have
both been producing a 350-cm3 motorcycle for military use: the VEB Sim-
son Suhl in a 1+-cycle, and the VEB Motorraedwerk Zschopau in a 2-cycle
model. The Ministry of National Defense has tested both machines under
severest conditions and found them satisfactory. No decision has been
reached yet as to whether both machines will be used, or whether one
of them is to be given preference. When this has been decided, series
production will be started.
Passenger Cars:
In the future, only passenger cars with 2-cycle engines and front
wheel drive will be manufactured in the GDR: the 3-cylinder Wartburg at
the VEB Automobilwerk Eisenach, and the 2-cylinder Trabant at the VEB
Sachsenring Automobilwerk, Zwickau. From 1960, the Trabant will be
equipped with synchronized gears and a 22-horsepower, instead of the
present 18-horsepower; engine. For the present, there will be no
changes in the Wartburg passenger car either, not even in the body; but,
in 1961, it will be built with a "suspended" body with mechanical spring
suspension and worm-gear steering.
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Trucks:
VEB Barkas-Werke produces trucks up to one-ton capacity, small trucks,
small busses, and ambulances. When the supply of the present model is
exhausted, the factory will market a new design which will be equipped
with a larger (1,000-cm3) Wartburg motor.
VEB Robur-Werke's production program remains unchanged. A special
cross-country version with four-wheel drive will be developed for mili-
tary use.
No truck or bus of any type over 2.5 ton capacity will be produced
in the GDR after 1960. According to the decision of CEMA, they are to
be produced in other Eastern Bloc states. All the GDR's requirements
for vehicles of this type, and for 4-cycle passenger cars, are to be
covered by imports. The USSR is to be the sole supplier of heavy trucks
for the National People's Array.
Production of Trucks 1945-1957
1958
1959
VEB Sachsenring, Zwickau:
H 3 and s 4000
2
68
4
04
9,
9
,
5
S 4000
3,000
Roburg:
Trucks/S
anka/Kom. [combination] 29,625
6,434
5,930
Ernst Grube:
8
6
6
1
6
0
9
,
5
5
5
G5 3,109
1,462
1,002
H6B/Kom. 444
327
400
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Production of Trucks 1945-1957 1958 1959
Barkas :
Trucks/Sanka/Kom. 15,302 3,583 3,350
Fork Trucks (produced in Fahrzeugwerk,
W.ltershausen) - - - 1,500 1,505
Reorganization of these plants will result in specialization.
Production of Passenger Cars
EMW 321/327/340 21,391
AWZ: F8 and P70 46,820 11,466
AWZ: P70 (supply will be exhausted
in the first half of 1959) 4,800
AWE : F9 4o,,278 - - -
P311 Wartburg 37,670 21+,326 28,700
Sachsenring:
P24o 753 510 100
P50 54 1,730 20,000
Barkas:
P 2M-- 1, 680 381
Export Quotas for 1945-1958
F8
P 50
P 70
F9
P 311
P 240
10,571
8,305
19,535
26,866
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ET!
EXP
ort Quotas for
194-1958
Barkas
Garant
H 3/s 4000
G 5/H 6
7,469
13,229
9,982
4,048
Factory Price
Automobile Prices: Factory Price to Wholesaler Retail Price
P 70 6,000.00 8,325.00 9,250.00
P 70 with sliding roof 6,320.00 8,685.00 9,650.00
P 240 20,450.00 24,750.00 27,500.00
i
Wartburg Limousine 7,080.00 12,230.00 14,700.00
Cabriolet 9,650.00 14,733.00 16,370.00
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